Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display signs are outdoor, full matrix,
single-color electronic LED displays with daylight-visible characters
and a weather-resistant enclosure. The unique, state-of-the-art design
produces a dynamic advertising message center that is highly energy
efficient and easy to operate, install and service. Various Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display models can display from one to four lines
of text, graphics, and animations in either red or amber color; and
they can be networked together with other Alpha Eclipse, Alpha,
AlphaPremiere, and AlphaVision displays using RS485,
Ethernet, Fiber Optic, or wireless connectivity.

Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display Series signs are versatile outdoor LED
message centers designed for industrial and commercial use. The Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display is one of the brightest and sharpest
outdoor displays available.

Messages
are enhanced by 30 built-in display modes; 7 text sizes; serif and
san-serif fonts; fixed and proportional spacing; user-designed graphics
and animations display; day, date and time of day display; temperature
display; five automatic day, hour, and minute counters; special symbols
and international characters; and many other special features.

Messages
may be entered using a computer and special messaging software. Information
from customer files (SQL, ODBC, Excel, DDE, etc.) can be displayed
automatically. Automode programming features eliminate the need to
learn complicated programming procedures. Within seconds, anyone can
create attractive visual messages with attention-getting impact.

Built-in
diagnostic, testing, and reset switches provide self-diagnostic capability,
easy memory clearing, and convenient reset features for program developers
and end users.

Alpha
Eclipse 3501 Available Models

The
following Alpha Eclipse 3501 models will display:

One
Row of 10.34" Characters (8 pixels)

One
Row of 6.23" Characters (5 pixels)

#
of

#
of

#
of 10.34"

Display

Display

Enclosure

Enclosure

Enclosure

Weight

Pixels

Pixels

Characters

Height
in

Width
in

Height
in

Width
in

Depth
in

in
Lbs

High

Wide

per
Row

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

per
Face

8

32

5

11.0

44.2

19

54

7.5

70

8

64

10

11.0

88.3

19

98

7.5

140

8

80

13

11.0

110.4

19

120

7.5

160

8

96

16

11.0

132.5

19

142

7.5

190

8

112

18

11.0

154.6

19

164

7.5

220

8

128

21

11.0

176.6

19

186

7.5

240

8

144

24

11.0

198.7

19

208

7.5

260

The
following Alpha Eclipse 3501 models will display:

Two
Rows of 9" Characters (7 pixels)

One
Row of 18.6" Characters (14 pixels)

Two
Rows of 6.2" Characters (5 pixels)

One
Row of 21.3" Characters (16 pixels)

One
Row of 13.1" Characters (10 pixels)

#
of

#
of

#
of 21.3"

#
of 9"

Display

Display

Enclosure

Enclosure

Enclosure

Weight

Pixels

Pixels

Characters

Characters

Height
in

Width
in

Height
in

Width
in

Depth
in

in
Lbs

High

Wide

per
Row

per
Row

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

per
Face

16

64

7

10

22.1

88.3

30

98

7.5

185

16

80

8

13

22.1

110.4

30

120

7.5

220

16

96

10

16

22.1

132.5

30

142

7.5

250

16

112

12

18

22.1

154.6

30

164

7.5

285

16

128

14

21

22.1

176.6

30

186

7.5

320

16

144

16

24

22.1

198.7

30

208

7.5

355

The
following Alpha Eclipse 3501 models will display:

Three
Rows of 9" Characters (7 pixels)

One
Row of 19.9" Characters (15 pixels)

Four
Rows of 6.2" Characters (5 pixels)

One
Row of 26.8" Characters (20 pixels)

Two
Rows of 13.1" Characters (10 pixels)

One
Row of 32.3" Characters (24 pixels)

One
Row of 18.6" Characters (14 pixels)

#
of

#
of

#
of 19.9"

#
of 9"

Display

Display

Enclosure

Enclosure

Enclosure

Weight

Pixels

Pixels

Characters

Characters

Height
in

Width
in

Height
in

Width
in

Depth
in

in
Lbs

High

Wide

per
Row

per
Row

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

per
Face

24

64

7

10

33.1

88.3

30

98

7.5

440

24

80

8

13

33.1

110.4

30

120

7.5

465

24

96

10

16

33.1

132.5

30

142

7.5

485

24

112

12

18

33.1

154.6

30

164

7.5

515

24

128

14

21

33.1

176.6

30

186

7.5

535

24

144

16

24

33.1

198.7

30

208

7.5

555

The
following Alpha Eclipse 3501 models will display:

Four
Rows of 9" Characters (7 pixels)

Two
Rows of 19.9" Characters (15 pixels)

Five
Rows of 6.2" Characters (5 pixels)

One
Row of 26.8" Characters (20 pixels)

Three
Rows of 13.1" Characters (10 pixels)

One
Row of 43.2" Characters (32 pixels)

Two
Rows of 18.6" Characters (14 pixels)

#
of

#
of

#
of 19.9"

#
of 9"

Display

Display

Enclosure

Enclosure

Enclosure

Weight

Pixels

Pixels

Characters

Characters

Height
in

Width
in

Height
in

Width
in

Depth
in

in
Lbs

High

Wide

per
Row

per
Row

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

Inches

per
Face

32

64

7

10

44.2

88.3

51

98

7.5

480

32

80

8

13

44.2

110.4

51

120

7.5

505

32

96

10

16

44.2

132.5

51

142

7.5

535

32

112

12

18

44.2

154.6

51

164

7.5

560

32

128

14

21

44.2

176.6

51

186

7.5

590

32

144

16

24

44.2

198.7

51

208

7.5

620

Applications

The Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display is designed for high-visibility, high-traffic
messaging and advertising applications. Sizes are available from Its
modular building-block design can be used to provide configurations
from 19-inches high to 51-inches high and from 54-inches wide to 208-inches
wide. It has seven built-in character sizes (6.2-inch, 9-inch, 13.1-inch,
18.6-inch, 19.9-inch, 26.8-inch, and 43.2-inch), and it can display
Windows fonts as well.

2
Character Fonts  Text can be displayed in two standard fonts
 serif (fancy) or san-serif (block). Custom fonts may be created.

4
Character Widths  Text can be displayed in four standard
widths  normal, wide, double-wide, or wide double-wide. Wider
characters can be designed by the user.

Fixed
or Proportional  Text can be displayed using fixed or proportional
spacing.

True
Descenders - The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display will display
the lower case characters g, j, p, q,
and y with the descenders below the character baseline.

96
Character Styles  The two fonts, seven character heights,
and four character widths can be combined to produce forty-eight proportionally-spaced
character styles and forty-eight fixed-width character styles in the
following combinations:

43.5"
San-Serif Normal

43.5"
San-Serif Wide

43.5"
San-Serif Double-Wide

43.5"
San-Serif Wide Double-Wide

43.5"
Serif Normal

43.5"
Serif Wide

43.5"
Serif Double-Wide

43.5"
Serif Wide Double-Wide

27"
Serif Normal

27"
Serif Wide

27"
Serif Double-Wide

27"
Serif Wide Double-Wide

20.2"
San-Serif Normal

20.2"
San-Serif Wide

20.2"
San-Serif Double-Wide

20.2"
San-Serif Wide Double-Wide

20.2"
Serif Normal

20.2"
Serif Wide

20.2"
Serif Double-Wide

20.2"
Serif Wide Double-Wide

18.8"
San-Serif Normal

18.8"
San-Serif Wide

18.8"
San-Serif Double-Wide

18.8"
San-Serif Wide Double-Wide

18.8"
Serif Normal

18.8"
Serif Wide

18.8"
Serif Double-Wide

18.8"
Serif Wide Double-Wide

13.3"
San-Serif Normal

13.3"
San-Serif Wide

13.3"
San-Serif Double-Wide

13.3"
San-Serif Wide Double-Wide

13.3"
Serif Normal

13.3"
Serif Wide

13.3"
Serif Double-Wide

13.3"
Serif Wide Double-Wide

9.2"
San-Serif Normal

9.2"
San-Serif Wide

9.2"
San-Serif Double-Wide

9.2"
San-Serif Wide Double-Wide

9.2"
Serif Normal

9.2"
Serif Wide

9.2"
Serif Double-Wide

9.2"
Serif Wide Double-Wide

6.4"
San-Serif Normal

6.4"
San-Serif Wide

6.4"
San-Serif Double-Wide

6.4"
San-Serif Wide Double-Wide

Four
Custom Character Sets - The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
allows the user to compose and store up to four unique custom
character sets that are either 5-pixels, 7/8-pixels, 10-pixels, or
15/16-pixels high in the sign. These character sets may be selected
as needed.

Store
95 Messages  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display will
hold up to 95 messages files at one time. Each message file can be
any size. The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display dynamically allocates
memory to each message file as needed up to the total amount of memory
available (1,000,000 bytes).

Hold
Times Up to Six Minutes - Messages can be programmed to hold on
the screen for up to six minutes.

Battery
Backup  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display has a
lithium battery backup for messages. Messages are retained in memory
for up to six months when the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
is powered off.

Sequence
128 Messages  Up to 128 messages files may be run in a sequence.
Messages files may be listed more than once in the sequence.

Message
Scheduling  Messages may be scheduled by day, date, and
time of day. Each message can display on its own schedule, automatically
turning on and turning off at specified times on specified days without
human or computer intervention. Each message can be programmed with
the day or date and time to start running and the day or date and
time to stop running. Daily recurring messages, such as Lunch Time
Specials and Coffee Break Specials or messages coordinated
with public transportation arrival and departure schedules, can turn
on and turn off at the appropriate times each day. Safety-oriented
messages, such as "Lift With Your Legs, Not With Your Back" or "Don't
Forget To Wear Your Safety Goggles" can be scheduled to display at
different times, instead of at the same time, to achieve maximum effect
and variety.

Password
Protection and Message Locking  These features are provided
to prevent unauthorized messages or changes to messages in the Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display.

International
Character Set  Messages may contain all the upper and lower
case letters (A - Z and a - z), the numbers 0 - 9, and the special
characters:

! @ # $ % & * ( ) _ - + = | \ { } [ ] : ; ??? ??? < > , . ? /
`

The
following international characters and symbols may also be displayed:

These
characters and symbols allow you to compose messages in more than
one language, in English and in Spanish, for example, so you can
display the messages in an alternating language message sequence.

24
Special Characters
The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display also has 24 built-in special
characters that may be displayed in messages:

30
Display Modes  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
has 30 display modes that control how the characters of each message
enter, display and exit. Using a variety of display modes in a message
gives "eye-appeal" to the message:

Automode
 The characters of the message enter, pause, and exit the
display using fifteen display modes in a preset mode sequence.
With the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display, the user may specify
a custom Automode sequence table with up to fifteen display
mode codes.

Roll
(Up, Down, Left, Right)  The characters of the word
or phrase move onto the display down from the top (Roll Down),
up from the bottom (Roll Up), from the right end to the left (Roll
Left), or from the left end to the right (Roll Right)

Roll
In Horizontal  The characters of the word or phrase
move onto the display simultaneously from the left-most and right-most
pixel columns of the word or phrase to the center of the display
to display the word or phrase.

Roll
Out Horizontal  The pixels of the characters of the
word or phrase move simultaneously outwards from the center column
of pixels in the word or phrase to the right-most and left-most
columns of the word or phrase, forming the word or phrase.

Wipe
(Up, Down, Left, Right)  The characters of the word
or phrase are revealed as each horizontal row or vertical column
of pixels is lighted row by row or column by column  from
the top row of the character down (Wipe Down), from the bottom
row of the character up (Wipe Up), from the left column of the
message to the right (Wipe Right), or from the right column of
the message to the left (Wipe Left).

Wipe
In Vertical  The characters of the word or phrase are
revealed as each horizontal row of pixels in the word or phrase
is lighted row by row from the top and bottom rows of the character
to the center until the word or phrase is displayed.

Wipe
Out Vertical  The characters of the word or phrase are
revealed as each horizontal row of pixels is lighted row by row
from the center horizontal row of the word or phrase to the top
and bottom horizontal rows, displaying the word or phrase.

Wipe
In Horizontal  The characters of the word or phrase
are revealed as each vertical column of pixels in the word or
phrase is lighted simultaneously column by column from the right
and left columns to the center column of the word or phrase as
the word or phrase is displayed.

Wipe
Out Horizontal  The characters of the word or phrase
are revealed as each vertical column of pixels is lighted column
by column from the center column to the right and left columns
of the word or phrase.

Scroll
 The characters of the word or phrase moves up onto the
display from the bottom, and dislayed characters move up and off
the display.

Rotate
 The characters of the message travel from right to left
across the display in the familiar stock market ticker display
mode.

Condensed
Rotate  The characters of the message travel from right
to left across the display in the familiar stock market ticker
display mode. Characters are approximately half their normal width.
This mode only works with 7-pixel high characters.

Hold
 The characters of the message display without effects or
motion for a specified length of time. The length of pause time
the message stays on the screen is determined by the Speed code.

Flash
 All the characters blink on and off simultaneously several
times.

Explode
- The pixels in the word or phrase simulate an explosion effect
from the center point on the display.

Twinkle
 The pixels of the displayed characters oscillate in intensity.

Sparkle
 The characters of words and phrases appear as their pixels
turn on randomly as pixels in existing characters randomly turn
off.

Interlock
 The 2nd, 4th, and 6th horizontal rows of pixels in the
characters move rapidly from the left end to the right, while
the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th horizontal rows of pixels move rapidly
from the right end to the left, forming the message.

Slide
 The characters of words and phrases slide rapidly across
the display, one at a time, from right to left, building the message
from left to right.

Snow
 Lighted pixels sprinkle down from the top pixel row, building
new characters from the bottom up, like accumulating snow.

Spray
 The pixels of characters move across the display from right
to left in a spray effect, forming the characters from left to
right.

Starburst
 Several star-patterns display randomly, as the characters
of the word or phrase appear, replacing any previously displayed
characters.

Switch
 The 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, etc. characters move down
from the top down, as the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, etc. characters
move from the bottom up, forming the message.

SwitchHalf Display  Another form of the Switch mode in
the Alpha protocol for programmers.

Four
Position Codes - The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display has
four Position codes - Top, Bottom, Middle, and Fill - that specify
where the text, graphics, and animations display on the sign. Using
the Positioncodes, you may freeze (hold) text on either the
top line(s) or bottom line(s) of the display while text, animations
or graphics are changing on the other area (top or bottom line(s))
of the display.

Pause
Control  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display has
seven versatile Speed codes that specify how long characters should
display or pause after the various display effects. There are five
standard speed settings from Speed 1 to Speed 5 that specify pauses
from 1 to 6 seconds. There is also a Speed setting that allows you
to specify a pause
between effects of up to 255 seconds or tenths of seconds. The fastest
Speed code, No Hold, is used to create user-designed animation effects.

Automatic
Message Centering  Messages are automatically centered on
the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display display in all display modes,
except when the Fixed Characters code is used. The Fixed Characters
code left-justifies messages, and uses fixed (equal) character spacing
from left to right. The primary use of the Fixed Characters code on
the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display is to display similar fields
of data on consecutive screens in the same pixel positions.

Display
Graphics  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display will
display user-designed graphics and logos with your messages. Graphics
are created, stored, and displayed by the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED
Display using a computer and special software. You may scan graphics,
reduce them to the correct size for the display, save the graphics
files on disk, then use software, such as AlphaNet,
to send messages and graphics to the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display.

Display
Custom Animations  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
will display user-designed animations  sequences of user-designed
bitmap graphic files. The animations may play alone, or they may be
included with a text message.

Real-Time
Clock  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display has a built-in,
battery backed up real-time clock. The time and date (day, month,
year) can be set using either the remote control keyboard or using
a computer with software that sends the computer system time and date
to the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display. The day, date, and time
are retained in Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display memory for up
to a month when the unit is powered off.

12-
or 24-Hour Time Display  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
can display the time of day in either 12-hour or 24-hour format.

Display
Current Temperature in Fahrenheit or Celcius  The Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display may be equipped with a temperature sensor
that allows the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display to display the
current temperature. The temperature may be adjusted with the built-in
temperature offset feature for improved temperature accuracy. The
temperature is accurate to within ± 1???.

5
Counters  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display will
automatically count up or down in any increment, updating every minute,
hour, or day. Up to five different counters may be active in your
messages at the same time. Counting may begin at any value between
0 and 99999999. Messages can display the number of days, minutes,
or hours until a special event; the number of days or hours since
a lost-time accident; or a numeric value that increments or decrements
by the same amount every minute, hour, or day. Settings permit the
counter to restart automatically after counting to zero.

Target
Messages  Upon reaching specified Counter "target" values,
specific target messages can be displayed automatically. For example,
a message might display "10 DAYS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT!" and on the
next day automatically display "11 DAYS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT!" followed
by the target message: "A NEW RECORD... CONGRATULATIONS!"

Timeout
Message - The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display user may specify
a timeout period and a timeout message that plays when the timeout
period has expired. If no message is received during the timeout period,
the timeout message can be displayed automatically.

Multiple
Connectivity Options  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
may be attached to a wide variety of computers, control equipment,
and communications devices using multiple communication protocols.
RS232 and RS485 and two RJ11/RJ12 attachment ports are standard Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display features. Wireless communications, Ethernet
communications, Fiber Optic, Modem, and External connection communications
are available as options. For detailed information on cable, network,
fiber option, wireless, modem and external connection connectivity
options on the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display, two manuals
are available:

RS485
Echo Feature - This special feature allows the use of multiple
Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display master and slave displays and
RS485 communications without using an RS232 to RS485 Converter
Box. The first Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display display is
attached to the messaging PC with an Alpha RS232 Serial Cable or
an Ethernet cable. The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
converts the RS232 or Ethernet data signal to an RS485 data signal
and transmits the RS485 signal out via the RS485 connector. Additional
Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display displays can be attached to
the first display using RS485 connectivity items (RS485 Modular
Cables, RS485 Network Adapters, and RS485 Network Cable).

Address
Each Display  Each Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
can be given a unique address, so that messages and data may sent
by computer or control devices to different displays on the same cable,
wireless channel, modem phone number or TCP/IP address. 255 addresses
are available, and the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display address
may be set or changed easily with the remote control keyboard or using
a computer and special software. The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
enclosure does not have to be opened.

Message
Verification and Error Checking  Built-in checksum features
ensure that messages are received accurately when a computer or control
equipment sends messages or data to the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED
Display by cable.

Priority
Message  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display has a
125-byte Priority message file that can be activated by special programming.
When the Priority message file is activated, all other message files
that are currently running stop being displayed. When the Priority
message is terminated, the other messages resume displaying.

Dimming
Feature  The brightness of the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED
Display LEDs may be dimmed by a built-in optical sensor or by
specifying the time that dimming and undimming are to occur and the
percentage of brightness to be dimmed.

Overheating
Protection - Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display controls determine
when the internal temperature of the sign is too hot to continue normal
operation. Ambient external temperature and heat generated by the
LEDs affect the internal temperature. As the temperature inside the
sign rises, cooling fans are switched on. When the temperature falls
below the cooling fan threshold, the fans turn off. If the temperature
continues to rise, auto-dimming occurs, and the display goes into
a reduced power mode, dimming the brightness of the LEDs until the
temperature falls below the auto-dimming threshold level. For adequate
ventilation, allow at least 1 inch clearance all around the sign.

Internal
DIP Switches - The following Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
features can be set with DIP switches located on the controller
board inside the sign.

End
of Line Termination

Baud
Rate

RS485
Echo

Demonstration
Messages

Memory
Clear

Serial
Address

Data
Format (8N1 or 7E2)

Diagnostics

Multiple
Baud Rates - The following baud rates may be specified:

1200
Baud

2400
Baud

4800
Baud

9600
Baud

19200
Baud

38400
Baud

Autobaud

Non-Blinking
String File Updates  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
supports "String Files" and real-time updating of String Files without
blinking the messages displayed on the sign. String files are memory
areas set aside in sign memory by special programming. One use of
String Files is to store changing data being updated by an external
device or computer. For example, the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
could be programmed to display five (or more) ACD statistics fields
for each of ten (or more) ACD queues. As the real time values change
for each of the 50 variables (5 x 10), the updated values can be transmitted
into the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display instantly, without
causing the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display to blink and without
affecting the information currently being displayed. String Files
can also be used to save sign memory. For example, if the same data
is displayed multiple times within a message, the data can be stored
once in a String File and recalled from its String File location each
time it is needed.

Nested
Commands  For programmers writing control sequences using
native sign communication protocol, multiple commands can be repeated
or "nested" within a transmission frame.

Clear
Memory Easily  When debugging and testing software and messages
features, diagnostic control sequences may be entered to to clear
the memory of the sign quickly and conveniently, without opening the
Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display enclosure or taking it down
from where it is mounted. Clearing memory removes all messages, graphic
files and the password that have been programmed into the Alpha
Eclipse 3501 LED Display.

Wireless
News and Sports Service  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
can be equipped with a wireless broadcast receiver that will display
the latest news headlines, financial market summaries, sports information
and scores, in addition to your own messages. The receiver and news
service are extra charge options.

Uses
Alpha 2.0 Protocol  The Alpha Eclipse uses Alpha
2.0 protocol, and it is backward-compatible with all Alpha all Alpha
protocols since 1991, including EZ Key II and EZ95 (Alpha 1.0).

Update
Firmware Easily  When new features or firmware improvements
for the Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display are announced by Adaptive
Micro Systems, firmware upgrades may be dowloaded from the Adaptive
Micro Systems web site, and the Flash RAM in the Alpha Eclipse
3501 LED Display can be updated easily. There is no firmware EPROM
chip.

Technical
Assistance and Support  Ongoing limited customer assistance
for installation issues and technical support are provided by Alpha-American
Programmable Signs at no additional charge.

Programming
Assistance and Training  Our experienced instructors and
technicians are available by telephone or on site in your location.

Mounting
Hardware  Each Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display includes
mounting hardware for wall or pole mounting. Additional mounting hardware
for wall mount or pole mount applications are available as an extra
charge option. Fasteners to attach the sign to a ceiling, wall, or
counter are not supplied. The specific type of fastener required will
vary depending on the physical characteristics of the material (drywall,
concrete, brick, wood, etc.). Each of the fasteners that you use must
be capable of supporting four (4) times the weight of the sign. An
overhead support, wall or counter should also be capable of supporting
four times the weight of the sign.

Two
Year Warranty  The Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display
has a two-year USA factory warranty. After the warranty expires, the
Alpha Eclipse 3501 LED Display components will be repaired
and returned for time and materials charges.